With the score 10-7 to the Aussies at half-time it was “game on” and soon it was “advantage Russia” when Marina Petrova scored after the break for her side to lead 12-10.
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Fiji got off to a flying start with nine tries scored by nine different players in a 63-14 rout of Canada before beating Japan 21-17 and Argentina 28-0.
Unbeaten Australia beat New Zealand 15-12 and France 26-0 en route to the final.
England completed the top four heading into the quarter-finals, maintaining their 100 per cent record with a 21-5 victory over Australia in the 24th and final match of the day.
Madison Hughes celebrates with teammate Zack Test after kicking the winning points to beat New Zealand during the Emirates Dubai Rugby Sevens – HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series at The Sevens Stadium on December 4, 2015 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Atkins is throwing its support behind the J9 World Legends team at this year’s Dubai Rugby Sevens tournament from 3-5 December. The women placed sixth after a good start Thursday, while the men failed to win in three games.
The U.S. club will now play the defending tournament champions South Africa on Saturday.
Indeed, that was certainly the case for Argentina and Fiji in Pool A and Australia and England in Pool D, meaning their subsequent head-to-head clashes would ultimately decide the group-phase winners and runners-up.
For Fiji coach Ben Ryan, a former England boss, it was a fourth Dubai triumph in six years as he saw his side sweep through the tournament.
South Africa have named 35-cap Springbok Francois Hougaard and Juan de Jongh for the first two legs in Dubai and home soil in Cape Town next week.
“We have beefed up a lot of our training and most players have put on a bit of weight”.
Fiji will face France in the quarter-finals on Friday, while Russian Federation play Spain and England take on Canada.
“We’ve had some close games in the past, and some not so close games, but I think the standard of the competition today has shown that it doesn’t really matter who you are playing tomorrow”.
On day one of the men’s series, the 16 teams and match officials all wore black armbands in memory of Beth Coalter, World Rugby’s Sevens Operations Manager who passed away last month, which they will replicate on day two for New Zealand rugby legend Jonah Lomu.
“Last year we could just work towards London [the end of the World Series] and then pick up the pieces afterwards, but we can’t do that this year”.
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New Zealand coach Sean Horan said he and his backroom staff will be keen to keep thoughts of Rio under tight wraps.
